Morsel
by FallenBleedingAngel
Summary: In which Sakura Haruno, Chouji Akimichi, and food are all interconnected. SakuChou. Cross-posted on A03
1. Chapter 1

Morsel

Chouji/ Sakura Haruno

It started not as all stories start,

Not with friendship or heart.

It began with a gentle push from the wind,

And helping hand of a chef in the making,

A breaking from the normal lens,

Of a chance worth taking.

It begins not with love in sight,

or happiness no matter how hard sought.

Tumbled words spew from lips,

from the mouths of babes without a thought.

It changes between glances and unforgotten gestures,

Of days spent sore with rare leisures,

It starts just how it ends,

Good and Fine are all that's spoken

But friendship, perhaps acquaintanceship is won over with just a token.

My friends, it begins perhaps as many or too little have begun,

with a crumb, with a morsel, given to a friend.

On the first day - all she can remember is being sad. Her days were to forever be gloomy and dull - just like life without Sasuke.

The very thought of him gone from Konoha has almost sent her wailing to her room, but she plastered on a fake smile.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Sakura wondered why she hadn't been enough for him to stay, her once vibrant eyes grew glossy with unshed tears the longer and longer she thought of Sasuke's departure.

Before she could sink into the depths of sorrow and lock herself in her own room for the rest of existence, she struck her own face - twice and resolved to try to find closure.

The rational side of her kept arguing, there was nothing that she could of done. She was just Sakura - and just being Sakura Haruno was not enough for Sasuke to stick around and drop his ambition of killing a certain man.

However the other sides of her cried and cried, for surely Sasuke was gone from their lives forever, and she would never get the chance to see him alive again. After all what was logic and rationalism to emotion, but a desperate attempt to hold together the shattered pieces of her heart?

Shaking her head Sakura Haruno jumped out her window as if she could run from her thoughts if only they'd let her.

Running wherever the road took her, she dared not look up from the ground, as if the whole village would know that Sakura was not enough for Sasuke to stay if she had decided to lift her head.

The wind gently swayed her pink locks - once too heavy for a small breeze to sway and the scent of something heavenly came her way.

Her stomach not done complaining for the food it never got, Sakura ducked her head and walked toward the scent with all she could.

There he sat - alone with a steaming bento looking towards the sky.

Silent and picturesque as if happy he could die.

Their eyes locked once and it felt like only once was what they both needed, she sat shyly on the wooden bench, moving her hair behind her ears.

His eyes for all the little that they knew each other were riddled with concern, his voice so soft the wind could hush it away, but still she heard him, his only question, "Good?"

In the moment it seemed like they were out of time itself, away in their own little bubble of shyness and hesitancy. Sakura spoke quickly, as if she didn't believe herself, smiling timidly and said, "Fine."

He did not arch his eyebrows, or nag to know more about all she felt. Instead, he extended his newly separated chopsticks, looked to his bento and offered her a piece.

As if the earth itself was waiting for a chance to deeply breathe, Sakura Haruno took the morsel of food and popped it in her mouth. He stomach, barely satisfied - as if it could eat entirety of Fire Country, but her heart? Filled to the brim with an emotion she cannot name, feeding the embers in her heart.

When Sakura first woke for the day, she felt she would never be happy again - but the wind blew stronger, the earth letting go of its' breath and thanks to a morsel, feels like she made a new friend.


	2. Ramen

Morsel: Ramen

There was something to be said about Sakura's current state of mind if she was looking for a Ramen shop of all places to _eat_ something.

Normally Sakura would stick to eating fruits and vegetables but something in her craved something more, as if food would fill the Sasuke shaped void in her heart.

Maybe, a faint, faint, _faint_ part of her was also missing Naruto. Not that she would ever admit it out loud – because even in the recess of her mind, it sounded strange.

Still something in her stirred and for the first time in her life, Sakura sought out Ramen without Naruto in the equation.

As the sun beat down on her, Sakura huffed and ceased her mindless wandering, almost giving up and going home. It shouldn't have been that hard to find a simple Ramen shop, should it?

Rocking on her feet, she gave the area she was in a quick gaze before a small sign caught her attention.

A delicate font decorated a small sign as the arrow underneath pointed to the direction of the shop.

Curious – Sakura hesitantly made her way down the small alleyway and marveled as she seemed to pass older and older buildings made out of wood and stone.

She stopped walking and came to a small circle of shops, cobblestone lined the ground, as the sun reflected off tiny trinkets in a small vendor shop. The world seemed to stop and Sakura's breath caught and the serenity of the hidden shopping center finally caught up with her.

The sun warm on her skin, Sakura made her way towards the small restaurant, her stomach growling at the delicious smell that wafted toward her, all while wondering where all the people were.

Sitting down at the counter, taking her time looking around Sakura thought she had never seen a Ramen restaurant look so homely.

"Hello, is anyone here?"

There was a sudden clang of pots, a woman's voice came from the back, "Sorry, I'll be right there with you!"

The clanging grew more insistent as Sakura waited until a plump woman made her way towards the front, a harried smile on her face.

"Welcome! It's so rare to see someone here that isn't an Akimichi, it's so nice to see new faces."

Sakura blushed and bowed her head slightly, "Uhm, what is it you have to eat here?"

The woman gave a small laugh, "Why, Ramen of course, some dango every now and then! I dabble in a little bit of sandwiches sometimes but that's very rarely. Inspiration is fickle at best to me!"

Sakura smile grew the longer the woman talked, "Do you have S-sapporo ramen? I've never really eaten Ramen, so I guess there's a first time for everything.."

The woman's mouth shaped itself into a surprised O, before she fretted at Sakura, "We'll make the best Sapporo ramen you've ever tasted! Cho, new order!" She hit a small gong and Sakura heard sounds coming from the kitchen. The woman turned around and continued to talk to Sakura, "You have such lovely hair dear, it makes me wish it were Cherry Blossom season again. Say, what did you say your name was?"

Sakura scratched her cheek in embarrassment before bowing her head in introduction, "I-I didn't it's very nice to meet you, my name is Sakura Haruno."

The woman's smile only grew, "It's a pleasure Haruno-chan, my name is Chika Akimichi."

"Haruno, you say? Did you go to the Academy with my boy, Chouji?" A masculine voice came from the back, before a shock of red hair poked out from the corner.

Familiarity struck Sakura quickly, a vague sense of briefly having met the man overcame Sakura, "Y-yes, Sir! I was Chouji's classmate in our Academy years."

"The name is Chouza! You seem like a nice girl, it's a shame Chouji didn't get to know you better!" His gaze flicked briefly to the side before settling on her.

Trying to stop her head from exploding at the utter friendliness of these people, all Sakura could say was "Ah, of course, I feel like he would've made a fine friend."

Chika laughed and mindlessly cleaned around the shop, "Enough talk Cho, is it almost done?"

"Almost! Haruno-chan, How's your day been?" Choza's voice rang throughout the shop.

Blinking, Sakura took time to respond, "Well as can be, I guess. Naruto is off being trained by Jiraiya of the Sannin, and S-Sasuke-kun is..."

Her very frame seemed to tremble, "Sasuke-kun is gone."

Chika patted her shoulder comfortingly, "Nothing you could've done, Haruno-chan. The world is mysterious like that. When someone lives their whole life for just one thing – for something like revenge and vengeance, it consumes them. It doesn't mean you have to spend yours chasing after them. If it's meant to be, it'll straighten itself out."

Choza came out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of Ramen, "Now that's the Akimichi way I remember, advice and food. No matter the times we find ourselves in, it's comfort food for the soul and body."

Chika playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh hush, you! Give the Ramen here, Haruno-chan must be half to death already with all the talking you did!"

Choza chuckled at his wife and slid the Ramen towards Sakura, "I hope you enjoy! First customer of the day! Not so surprising considering Yakiniku Q is having some bargain going on."

Slowly slurping her Ramen, she moaned happily as she scolded herself for never actually trying Ramen. Sakura's eyebrows furrowed as she Choza's words came through her delight of having food.

Swallowing quickly she asked, "Isn't that a problem? What if you guys loose a lot of money?"

Choza lent against a counter, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Not a problem at all, Haruno-chan! The Akimichi have always persevered, a simple all you can eat buffet will not scare us! They'll run out of meat eventually! Especially if other Akimichi are going there as well."

Sakura nodded and graciously ate her bowl of Ramen, now she knew why Naruto considered it the food of the Gods.

Time passed and the sun grew lower in the sky as Sakura lost her self in her bowl of ramen, and the small talk Choza and Chika included her in.

Before she knew it, her chopsticks hit the bottom of her bowl and Sakura's stomach hadn't felt so sated in years.

Putting the money on the counter as she slid off the chair and into a bow, Sakura gratefully said, "Thank you for the food, and especially for the company. It really was the best Sapporo ramen I've ever tasted. I promise I'll come back again!"

Chika and Choza flushed and smiled at Sakura, " It wasn't a problem dear, do come back you hear me? We'd love to have you here again!"

Sakura gave them one last goodbye before leaving the shop, happy with the thought of returning.

The wind was fresh and cooling, leaving goosebumps on her skin as she walked. More and more people came milling about, and Sakura noticed most of them seemed to be Akimichi. Shaking her head from distracting thoughts, Sakura made her way home.

She may not have Sasuke-kun but it for _now_ , it was alright. With a full stomach, and the taste of broth still in her mouth, Sakura smiled as the sun began to sink lower, basking Konoha in the last sunlight of the day.

Basking her with hope to find a better way – because she would be _strong_ , she wouldn't be _weak_.

Determination filled her to the brim, the way Ramen did her stomach, - and Sakura vowed to Konoha in the sunset, she would _change_.


End file.
